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Chained Together is a brilliantly chaotic and emotionally charged co-op platformer that turns the simple act of jumping into a test of trust, teamwork, and patience. Developed by Anegar Games, this indie title flips traditional platforming on its head by chaining one to four players together and challenging them to escape the depths of Hell—literally—by climbing a vast vertical world filled with shifting terrain, perilous ledges, and punishing setbacks. The genius of Chained Together lies not just in its physics-based mechanics but in how it transforms frustration into camaraderie and failure into shared hilarity. It captures the same spirit of games like Getting Over It and Jump King, but replaces solitary suffering with group resilience, where every success or tumble becomes a collective experience.
The game is mechanically simple but deceptively challenging. Players control small humanoid characters tethered by a realistic, dynamic chain that wraps, swings, and snags on the environment. This chain is the core of the experience—players must learn to use it to counterbalance each other, save a teammate from falling, or leverage one another to reach high platforms. Mistiming a jump doesn’t just affect you—it could drag everyone down. That shared risk creates both tension and deep satisfaction when things go right. Movement physics are intentionally slippery, demanding precise coordination and communication. The game offers several difficulty modes: Beginner (with generous checkpoints), Normal (with fewer), and Lava Mode, where a rising tide of fire adds urgency and pressure, making every mistake far more punishing.
Visually, Chained Together uses a clean, low-poly aesthetic with bold colors and dramatic environmental transitions. Starting in the molten pits of Hell and ascending through forests, ruins, and skies, the level design is minimalist but atmospheric. There's no traditional narrative, but the journey upward tells its own emotional story—each new biome feels like a milestone, a reward for perseverance. The sound design complements the minimalist visuals, with ambient music that ranges from eerie to ethereal, and comically exaggerated grunts and screams that punctuate every failed leap or save. These touches give the game a surprising emotional rhythm, oscillating between humor, despair, and triumph.
One of Chained Together’s most impressive feats is its emergent storytelling through gameplay. Every group of players creates their own saga of betrayal, teamwork, heroics, and defeat. It's the kind of game where memories are forged not through cutscenes but through shared panic as one teammate dangles off a cliff, or the collective cheer when the team finally clears a brutal section. It’s both brutally difficult and bizarrely wholesome.
Despite its many strengths, the game does come with some rough edges. The chain physics can occasionally be unpredictable, snagging on geometry in frustrating ways, and the camera in four-player mode can struggle to keep up with fast vertical movements. Solo play, while possible, lacks the chaotic fun that defines the experience and becomes more a test of raw skill and patience. Additionally, while the game’s simplicity is part of its charm, players looking for traditional progression systems, unlockable abilities, or narrative content may find it lacking.
Still, these issues are minor when weighed against the strength of its core concept and execution. Chained Together is one of the most original and socially engaging co-op games in recent memory—a platformer that’s less about perfection and more about persistence, less about personal glory and more about collective growth. It thrives on the highs and lows of shared failure and the thrill of overcoming absurd obstacles with your friends. Whether you're screaming in frustration or laughing uncontrollably at a disastrous fall, Chained Together delivers a raw, unfiltered co-op experience that’s as entertaining as it is unforgettable.
Rating: 8/10